He was born in England and educated at Hanover University and Brussels University. He then entered his father’s firm of fruit and ship brokers. In 1910 he became Managing Director of Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company.

He was involved in the Marconi scandal of 1912, when several British politicians were accused of "insider trading" when they acquired shares in the American subsidiary of the Marconi Company; the parent company was expected to get a contract from the British Government.

He retired from the Marconi Company in November 1924, and died in 1925 aged only 58, which the Times obituary attributed to overwork.

He married Lea Constance Perelli, they had two sons, Marcel Godfrey (born 1893) and Dennys Godfrey (born 1896).
Marcel Godfrey Isaacs married Marie Louise Cattier, daughter of prominent Belgian banker and philanthropist Félicien Cattier, who was also his business associate.